Serge Melik-Hovsepian
Armenia/France
Born in Tehran, Iran. Studied in London and graduated from the London Film School and the London School of Dramatic Arts. Directed a dozen documentaries for the Ministry of Culture of Iran. Founded “The 2” theatre group in Tehran, conducted improvisational theatre workshops with the members of the group, and directed several plays, including Brecht’s Mr Puntila and His Man Matti and St Joan of the Stockyards. In 1983, he moved to Paris, directed two short fiction films (Yeritzi and At Dawn), and was Peter Brook’s second assistant director on the English version of Mahabharata.
After moving to Armenia in 2005, as a freelancer, I directed four plays – Eric Emmanuel-Schmitt’s The Libertine, Morris Panych’s Auntie and Me, Patrick Marber’s Closer, and a monologue called Serojik. Founded the Agora Theatre Group in Yerevan and so far directed Dario Fo and Franca Rame’s Open Couple at a café theatre, Arthur Schnitzler’s La Ronde, Florian Zeller’s The Mother, Matei Visniec’s The Story of Panda Bears, Dario Fo and Franca Rame’s An Ordinary Day, and Joel Pommerat’s The Reunification of Two Koreas. David Ives’ Venus in Furs, Matei Visniec’s Richard the Third Will Not Take Place, and a few other plays by contemporary playwrights.
Collaborated with Forum theatre and directed Brecht’s He Who Said Yes and He Who Said No. Conducted a workshop of improvisational theatre in the State Institute of Theatre and Cinema of Armenia. Shortly, the rehearsals of Luigi Pirandello’s Tonight We Improvise.